Parliamentary thematic committee activated

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, May 17: Some ten thematic committees under both Houses of the Federal Parliament has been activated from Tuesday fallowing an introductory session in Singha Durbar.  

All of the committees were vacant since last five months after the elections for the House of Representatives concluded in January.

Seven thematic committees including Finance, International Relations and Tourism, Industry, Commerce, Labour and Consumers Rights, Law, Justice and Human Rights, State Affairs and Good Governance, Education, Health and Information Technology and Public Account under House of Representatives and three Sustainable Development and good Governance, Bill Management and State Affairs and Coordination under National Assembly were been active from Tuesday.  

Meeting of all above mentioned committee were called at the same time on Tuesday.  

With this the House committees; commonly known as mini-parliament has officially started their work. Though the term started after the MPs took the oath of office and secrecy on January 7, thematic committee formation was trapped in halt in the name of maintaining political consensus among parties.

Ekram Giri, Spokesperson in the Federal Parliament Secretariat said that there was introductory meeting among authority of the committee today. Committees will proceed with the selection of the chairman for the committees as according to the political consensus. Thematic committee formation was delayed due to political disputes.

Speaker Ghimire meets PM Dahal 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and Speaker Devraj Ghimire met Tuesday morning at Prime Minister's residence in Baluwatar. 

Shekher Adhikari; Press Advisor to the speaker informed that the Prime Minister and the Speaker talked about smoothing parliament meeting, formulation of the policies and programs of the government and budget for the year ahead in the meeting. According to him, the Prime Minister said that the parliament caught the rhythm after thematic committees activated. "I expect it will be easier to finalize the pending bills in the parliament," he had said.

House Speaker Ghimire said that the efforts Prime Minister made to coordinate and cooperate with all the parties to running the House was commendable in response. After that the Prime Minister informed the Speaker that the government was preparing to present the policy and program on May 19. Speaker said he was grateful towards the government and political parties for their support in running the House.